1. You might just fail.Yep, I said it. You might also succeed, but if you are not ready to realize that starting a business is not a guaranteed thing for a million dollar investment you will be blindsided when you are not thriving as you want to be. Accept the fact now and be prepared to do whatever it takes to get ahead.

2. Not everyone is going to like you.This is a world wide community with differing opinions, religions, political views, shop ideas ect. You will not become everyones best friend. Get a thick skin now and brush off what irks you. I spent many a nights crying and soon realized that people are not perfect and neither am I.

3. You will make some of the bestest friends you will ever have. I have not made only friends here but I have a true family of moms, brothers and sisters that I rely upon to give me honest opinions about how I am doing and maybe just be a shoulder for them to lean on or vice versa.

4. TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE SLOW TIMES! This is major. When sales are slow start a newsletter to bring in business. Make ads with project wonderful, do craft shows if possible, market, twitter, blog, retake photos and create business cards, ect. Do all of these things to improve when you have a chance.Go into critiques for an actual critique. Pop into the virtual labs as well. Make connections cause when the sales are piling in, you will wish you had.

5. Stop whining that sales are slow. Pity sales are not what you need. See above for things to do instead.

6. Join a team if possible. I am an admin with the CYA soap team and I love it! I get to chat about issues I care about, cross promote, teach, do treasuries ect. Working as a team means there is a greater force moving as one to promote handmade.

7. Follow your gut, not just trends. Nuf said.

8. Have confidence. Who wants to buy from a seller who doesn't believe in their product or ability. Self pity gets you no where. Trust that what you do is unique because you are as a person and your shop is an extension of that. Make people want your items because you know they will love them and want them.

9. I forget #9. Expect to go brain dead every once in a wile from thinking too much.

10. Customer service is #1. Good product, good photos, good marketing will get you only so far if you don't respond to convos, send product in the time promised and communicate with your buyers. Repeat business is why business succeed. Think about that seller that you always go back to 3 times a year for that special something. Now multiply that by 1000 buyers. You wonder how to become a top seller? Start by being a good business person.